A method and apparatus determine an adaptive data rate in a wireless communication network. The method can include: setting (620) a wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement message threshold based on an average fade duration over a frame time; receiving (630) a number of wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement messages at a device over a given period; comparing (640), at the device, the number of wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement messages to the wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement message threshold; requesting (650) a higher data rate if the number of wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement messages is below the wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement message threshold; and requesting (660) a lower data rate if the number of wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement messages is above the wireless network layer two negative acknowledgement message threshold.